MEDICINE IN BOLIVIA

Photo essay on the mines of Potosi, in Bolivia, August 2006 (entire article available on request).
Malnutrition is the main problem of children health. Its causes mainly resut from the dietary habits of the families. Rice, potato, fresh or dehydrated, and corn constitute the basis of alimentation. These aliments are cheap and so more accessible to families living in great poverty. However, it is possible to introduce aliments such as quinoa, richer in proteins and that enables to balance the diet, with an equal budget. Here, two children are watching posters of nutrition from Médecins du Monde (The aliments that do not help with nutrition).
With of an altitude of more than 4 000 meters, in the Bolivian mines, silicosis kills precociously the heads of the families.The children must work to survive. Médecins du Monde provides an access to care, education and prevention. The NGO intervenes in the schools and day-care centers.